Award season is officially here as the nominations for the 21st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were unveiled on Wednesday at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.

In the film section it was virtually a “sea of white” as actors of color failed to register in any of the categories. It is a glaring reminder and validation of the recent interview Chris Rock gave the Hollywood Reporter, regarding the fact that Hollywood is really “Whitewood”. The film industry still refuses to make bold strides when it comes to recognizing Black talent – preferring instead to settle for the usual suspects and “household names” to ensure continuous profitability.

Television has proven to be a lot more flexible when it comes to diversity and that can be attributed to the miraculous work of Shonda Rhimes, who has consistently delivered when it comes to Primetime excellence. Viola Davis, the star of the freshman hit, How to Get Away with Murder, nabbed a nomination for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.’

Uzo Aduba, who has been garnering critical acclaim for her portrayal of “Crazy Eyes” in Orange Is The New Black, was recognized in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series category.

Legendary actress, Cicely Tyson received a much-deserved nod for her work in the “he Trip To Bountiful and was nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries.

The cast of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” received a Best Ensemble nomination, including actors Andre Braugher and Terry Crews as did the cast of Orange is the New Black.

Noticeably missing was Scandal which didn’t receive any nominations this year.

The SAG Awards will air on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and TBS.

Congrats to all three ladies, and I must say that anyone should be scared to mess with Mrs. Viola Davis both in real life and in the fictional world that she slays. Her performance in the mid-season finale of “How to Get Away with Murder” was flawless.

*Spoiler ahead*

Just when you think that she is concerned about her husband’s welfare, you learn that she not only knew that he was dead, but she also told Wes to not be sorry about killing her husband.

Wasn’t that scene a pistol!!!! Viola Davis is golden! It didn’t take me seeing her in HTGAWM to notice either…before a black woman (Shonda Rhimes) gave her a starring role, she used to only play the role of a maid, powerless and downtrodden, or at the very least she wasn’t the star of the production. Even then, I could see that she was a great actress!

Mary Burrell

Even when Viola had bit parts she still could speak with just her facial expressions and body language, Antoine Fisher.